Multiple unit storage file



Jan. 24, 1961 R. s. SHELLY MULTIPLE UNIT STORAGE FILE I Filed April 30, 1958 i ll INVENTOR. ROBERT S SHELLY Ila I lllllll.

V aikm ATTORNEYS S O AGE Robert S. Shelly, Logan, Utah, assignor to Pack lvlanu- 'facturing Company, Logan, Utah, a corporation of Utah Filed Apr. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 731,987

4 C a ms @1- 311.1 97) In copending application Serial No. 582,8, 03., f il ed May 4, 1956, entitled Multiple Unit Storage File, now Patent No. 2,872,265, iSsuedFebruary'S, 1959, thereis disclosed a new type of storage file or cabinet made up of receptacle units stacked together in multiple and interlocked. The individual receptacle units each have an elongate receptacle body, which is preferably fabricated from paperboard material, and end caps preferably of metal. they usually are positioned in both horizontal and vertical courses, the outermost of which present exposed paperboard surfaces to form cabinet wall faces of composite character made up of successive body walls of individual receptacle units.

Principal objects of the present invention are to provide for protecting such a file or cabinet against fire, moisture, and denting and to simplify dusting and cleaning, by effectively jacketing the exposed paperboard wall faces with a durable, protective covering, preferably metal, and to do this in a simple and economical manner.

An outstanding feature is the provision of pre-formed jacketing units applicable individually to exposed body surfaces of respective receptacle units at the option of the user following erection of the multiple uni-t file or cabinet.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing by way of example.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a protectively jacketed, multiple unit storage file or cabinet conforming to the invention and made up of receptacle units of my aforementioned copending application;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a considerably enlarged scale;

Fig. 3, a perspective view of one type of jacketing unit applied to exposed body surfaces of respective receptacle units intermediate the corners of the cabinet; and

Fig. 4, a similar perspective view of a type of jacketing unit applied to exposed body surfaces of respective receptacle units forming the corners of the storage file or cabinet.

Referring to the drawing:

The storage file or cabinet of Fig. 1 is made up of both horizontal and vertical courses of stacked and interlocked individual storage receptacle units conforming to the disclosure of my aforementioned Patent No. 2,- 872,265. Each of the receptacle units 10 comprises an elongate body 11 fabricated from a non-durable but relatively inexpensive material, preferably paperboard, and end caps 12 and 13 provided with formations 14,

As interlocked in stacked, cabinet formation,.

United States Patent ii H P. o flth indiyidual storage units, both vertically and zonta-lly, and these serve to accommodate anchoring formations of the jacketing units, as will be explained.

A1 9; sa

es 11a, Fig; 2, of the pape'rboarcl o stQ es 'i .P"F1 it$ 1 0m i t il pram on I net wall races'or ed :posite character.

ime; to protectively 'jaclget'or'encase such exposed,

. f? i iet' ifilz l were; Mi e s 1, such as steel, areprovided in accordfabricated from thin gauge sheet steel by the usual methods employed in sheet metal shops.

For snap-on anchorage, the flanges are toed-in, that is to say, the angle 17 between the web 16a and each flange 16b is somewhat less than advantageously 87; also, for maximum protection, the flanges are advantageously continuous in length and coextensive with the web, although satisfactory snap-on anchorage members can be of various insert tab formations.

These jacketing units 16 are frictionally applied to the exposed body walls 11a of those receptacle storage units 10 which lie intermediate the corner units. They are applied by merely springing the flanges 16b outwardly and pushing them into the slots 15, respectively, at opposite lateral sides of the particular intermediate storage receptacle unit concerned. This effects a tight and secure, frictional, snap-on engagement of the jacketing unit with the storage receptacle unit.

It is to be noted that the slots 15 are usually wide enough to more than accommodate the flanges 16b of adjacent jacketing units, but, if they are not, the paperboard bodies of the respective storage receptacle units will yield sufficiently to insure proper seating.

A similar preferred form of a second type of the snapon jacketing unit is shown per se in Fig. 4, being designated 18. It is also of channel formation, but of angular configuration. It comprises a pair of legs 18a, respectively, which serve as plate-providing webs for covering corner-defining surfaces 11a, respectively, of a corner storage resceptacle unit, and a pair of flanges 18b, respectively, which serve as do the flanges 16b of the intermediate type jacketing units 16. All of the interior angles 19 are less than 90, preferably 87.

These corner type jacketing units 18 are applied in much the same manner as are the intermediate type. They snugly hug the exposed corner surfaces 11a of the respective corner storage receptacle units 10 in essentially the same manner, affording secure jacketing protection therefor.

Ilf desired, from the standpoint of added protection against fire and moisture, either intermediate type jacketing units 16 or corner type jacketing units 18 may be applied to part or all of the internally facing surfaces of the various storage receptacle units 10, inclusive .of those wholly submerged within the stack. These would, of course, have to be applied during erection of the cabinet.

In all instances, protective plates, which are coextensive in area with the individual wall surfaces to be covered. are provided in face-to-face contiguous relationship '3 with such wall surfaces, and are retained in place by the snap-on clip or clasp nature of securement means extending integrally from such plates.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it should be realized that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims, without departing from'the essential contributions to the art made by the teachings hereof.

I claim:

1. A multiple unit, storage file, comprising a plurality of individual, storage receptacle units interlocked side by side, said receptacle units each having a body of nondurable, paperboard material and end caps of a rigid and durable structural material, the end caps of contiguous receptacle units being interlocked and the bodies intermediate said end caps having slightly smaller outer peripheries than such end caps and being consequently slightly spaced apart from each other; and protective jacketing units applied to respective exposed body wall areas between the end caps of at least exterior receptacle units, each of said jacketing units comprising a plate coextensive and contiguous with the particular wall area concerned, and securing means carried by said plate and inserted in the spaces between adjoining receptacle units.

2. The storage file of claim 1, wherein the jacketing units are each of channel formation having at least one plate-providing web, and flanges serving as the securing means.

3. The storage file of claim 2, wherein the flanges make respective angles of slightly less than 90 with the web, so that the jacketing units snap securely onto and resiliently hug the respective receptacle units.

4. The storage file of claim 1, wherein jacketing units of channel configuration are applied to intermediate storage receptacle units, and jacketing units of angular configuration are applied to corner storage receptacle units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

